Too much green?

Adam Leech

Friday

Jun 29, 2007 at 2:00 AM

PORTSMOUTH — Fire commissioners fear the city's efforts to make the Lafayette Road fire station a green building will run project costs up over $1 million more than planned. But City Manager John Bohenko is telling them to hold the line.

PORTSMOUTH — Fire commissioners fear the city's efforts to make the Lafayette Road fire station a green building will run project costs up over $1 million more than planned. But City Manager John Bohenko is telling them to hold the line.

The project is still in its design phase, but the city is aiming to make it a LEED-Silver certified building, according to a memo sent from the Fire Commission Chairman Paul Wentworth to Bohenko. The total project costs, Wentworth said is approaching $5 million.

The City Council included $3.65 million in the capital improvement plan for the project for 2008. Bohenko told the council this week he plans to stick to that number.

"At the end of the day we gave it a preliminary estimate of $3.6 million, and I think that's how we should proceed with it," he said. "I think it's important we value engineer, consult with construction manger and build something that's functionally appropriate for the Fire Department and is also something the city can afford."

Fire Commissioner Richard Gamester said there is still much work to be done, but the memo was important to let the city to know the Station 2 Building Committee believes there will be considerable costs associated with LEED certification. The design process, he said, is when "they throw all the goodies at you" and the next step is filtering out what must be included and what can not be given budget realities.

"At some point we have to decide what's got to go in and what's not going to make it," said Gamester. "You're not going to be taking from safety measures, or living conditions and you can't take it from equipment. These are things that will not change, I'm sure. And we may have to give up some 'green' things for them."

Saying that, Gamester said he also has great faith in Bohenko and the city staff's ability to manage a budget and make it work.

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a standard for environmentally-friendly buildings developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. Silver is the third-highest level of certification, above basic and below gold and platinum, and is dependent on benchmarks for the design, construction, and operation of the building.

There were similar fears when the library was being planned, Bohenko said, and estimates thought to exceed $14 million ended up coming in at the $8 million budgeted. The original plan was to have basic certification for the library, but the city may achieve silver status.

"I say, stay with $3.65 million and lets work within that number," he said. "And if we need more money ... then we'll amend it."

The council is expected to take up the bonding request at its next meeting on July 16.

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